Cutter blade holder



June 14, 1960 G. o. MATTER 2,940,170

CUTTER BLADE HOLDER Original Filed April 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V BZMM@ WM June 14, 1960- G. o. MATTER 2,940,170

CUTTER BLADE HOLDER Original Filed April 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent CUTTER BLADE HOLDER Gustave O. Matter, 3112 NE.46th Ave., Portland, Oreg.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 349,390, Apr. 17, `195,3. Thisapplication Oct. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 694,472

Claims. (Cl. 30-293) My invention is a device for holding a cutterblade, as for example a safety razor blade, when used to cut materialsuch as the edge of `an envelope, or magazine wrapper, orto cutcardboard or cloth and the like', or when used as a scraper lto removeexcess paint from window glass and the like, and is a continuation of myco-pending application Serial Number 349,390, now abandoned.

An object of my invention is a holder for a cutter blade which permitsopening an envelope quickly 'and without damaging its contents.

Another object is a holder for a cutter blade which can be used to cutopen a magazine wrapper without damage to the magazine.

Another object is a cutter blade holder which limits the `amount cutfrom the edge of the material being cut. Another object is a cutterblade holder'which limits the depth of cut into the material being cut.l

' Another object is a cutter blade holder wherein the cutter blade willnot become clogged by particles :from the material being cut. i

vAnother object is a cutter blade which permits changing the position ofthe material being cut' in relationy to the cutting edge of the cutterblade without re-positioning the cutter blade in the holder.

Referring to the drawings, in which like characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts throughout the several views: i

Fig. I is a front elevation of the holder with a cutter blade inposition as when opening an envelope by cutting a narrow strip from anedge of the envelope'.

Fig. Il is a right hand elevation of Fig; I.

Fig. III is a rear elevation of the holder shown in Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. III.

Fig. V is a section taken on line V-V of Fig. I.

Fig. VI isa fragmentary view of an envelope in dotted outline, togetherwith portions of the holderV and cutter blade indicating the manner ofoperation when opening an envelope.

Fig. VII is a front elevation of the holder with a cutter blade inposition as when used as a scraper.v

` Fig. VIII is a front elevation of the holder with a cutter blade inposition to cut material to a depth not exceeding the distance the bladeprojects from the holder.

Fig. IX is similar to Fig. VIII but showing the blade positioned to useeither of two cutting edges.

M Fig. X is similar to Fig. I but showing, in dotted outline, a magazineenvelope or wrapper being cut open.

FigfXl is a fragmentary view of a magazine and wrapper, in dottedoutline, together with portions of th'ehold'er and cutter blade insection indicating the manner ofA operation when opening a magazinewrapperor envelope.

` Fig. XII is similai to Fig. X but showing'the envelope supportingmember swung out of normal position to per.- mit the blade to cut amagazine wrapper or envelope which is thickerV than the space betweenthe dependingV leg and the lower edge portion.

lFig. XlIIis a view similar to Fig. I showing the envelope supportingmember in its down position thereby guiding the material to be cut, suchas an envelope, shown `in dotted outline, to the lower exposed portionof the .of Fig. l showing the relative position of the blade to Vthelower edge portion and to the inner edge of the horizontal leg of thesupport member.

'Referring' to the numerals on the drawings, thelholder comprises aplate having a main body portion 1 and a lower edge portion 3 joinedwith the main body portion by means `of the otset portion 2 so as topresent the stepped inner surfaces asis shown most clearly .in Fig. V.

The holder also includes a cover plate 5 and a cutter blade 4 which issandwiched between the cover plater and the mainV body portion. Anenvelope supporting member is secured to the lower edge portion 3 andsuch member includes a horizontal leg v12 which extends substantiallyperpendicularly to the inner surface of the lower edge portion 3 and adepending leg 7 which extends generally in parallel relationship to theinner surface of the lower edge portion 3.

The greater portion of the envelope supporting member is of L-shapedconiiguration in cross section but a portion thereof is ofV U-shapedconfiguration by virtue of vthe depending leg member 7 as is shown mostclearly in Figs. II and IV and this leg 7 is abutted in face-to-facerelation with the inner surface of the lower edge portion 3 and lispivoted thereto as lby means of a rivet 8 or similar member and alsocarries a clamping screw 9, the stern of which projects through anarcuate slot 10 opening upon the lower edge ofthe portion 3 so as topermit adjustability between the envelope supporting member and thecutter blade 4.

In use, the cutter blade 4 is disposed substantially in the position asis shown in Fig. I- wherein the cutting edge thereof angles downwardlyso that at least a portion eir- `tendsV between the inner free edge ofthe horizontal leg 12 and the opposed inner surface of the lower edgeportion 3. When in this position, an envelope as indicated by the dottedlinesll', may be engaged uponthe upper surface of the yhorizontall leg12 and'slit lengthwise as is shown most clearly in Fig, VI to open theenvelope while removing only Va small marginal strip 14 thereof.

For ythe purposeof securing the cutter blade 4 insan-l-` wichedrelationship between the cover plate 5 and the main body portion l, aclamping screw or bolt 6 is provided as will be readily apparent. Boththe cutter blade and the main body' portion 1 are provided with aplurality of apertures through which the clamping bolts 6 maybe engagedto hold the cutter blade 4 in various positions as is illustrated in`Figs. I, VII, VlII and IX for performing various cutting operations aswill be readily apparent.

The slot it) is ofrsnthcient length so that the envelope supportingmember may be swung to an adjusted posia' ytion such as is illustratedin Fig. X, the purpose ofV this construction being to permit slightadjustment oiV the envelope supporting member with relation -to thecutterblade so as to expose va different and sharper portion of theblade after the holder has been in use.

It is to be noted that a slightspacing as indicatedbythe referencecharacter 13'is provided between the cutter cutter blade 4 and the innerfree edge of the horizontal leg'12 so as to prevent clogging.

To remove a wrapper or envelope from a magazine, theholder with itscutter blade 4 is adjusted to the posi- I tionpas, AVshown in Figs. Xand Xi and the edge of the magazine 16, shown in dotted outline, is heldin the space 17 Ybetween the inner surface of the depending leg 7 andthe'opposed inner surface of the lower edge portion 3, see

` particularly Fig. XI. The holder with its'blade74 is then Vdrawnalon'gthe edge of the magazine wrapperrl to cut a slit in Athe wrapper. Shouldthe magazine be thicker Yfthanthe spacing 17, such a magazine 1x8, as isshown in ,Fig XII is operated upon with the envelope supporting memberswung away from and out of covered relation- "shiplto the cutter blade.Y To cut flat material, the blade can be projected from the'holder' asshown in Figs..Vl1I and'IX and the maximum depth'of Ithe cut willbedetermined by the amount l, of the Vblade which is'ex'pose'd.

When used as a scraper to remove unwanted paintY or ,the like from thesurface, the blade 4 can be positioned n `in the holder as is shown'inFig. VII.

" While the speciiication sets forth in detail the present Aandpreferred construction of the device, deviations from the constructionshown may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the vappended claims.

In view of the foregoing description, taken in conjunc- Y YYAcoextensive with said lower edge portion, one leg of said envelopesupporting member being parallel to butV spaced from said inner surfaceofthe lower edge portionvand the otherleg extending from the first legperpendicularly toward vsaid inner surface ofthe YlowerV edge portion,said other legfhaving a portionwi-th a free edge and being Vparallelandspaced outwardly from Vsaid inner surface of said lower. edgeportionof said plate, and a cutter blade fixed inface-to-face .relation-to the inner surface of said main body portion with a portion of itscutting'edge proj'ecting beyond the juncture of said main body andoffset lower edge portions and extending Ybetween said plate and saidenvelope. supporting member and in spaced relation Y to 'fthatportionIof said free edge of said other Vleg that'is spaced from Ithe innersurface of said lower edge portion.

, 2,. Theopener as dened in and by claim 1 wherein said envelopesupportieg member is pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said innerfaceof thelower edge portion of4 Ithe', plate. v ,l Y

13. -The opener Vasdetined vin and by claim 2 including meansfor'holding said supporting member in adjusted positions relative tothecuttingedge of the cutter blade.

4. The opener Yas defined in and by claim 3 wherein the lastmentionedmeans includes a clamping 'screw operating through a slot in said loweredge portion ofthe plate' and .clampingly engaging said envelopesupporting member upon said inner, surface of the lower edge portion ofthe plate.

5. A cutter blade holder comprising a plate having a main body portionand an Voffset lower edge portion defining stepped, substantiallyparallel inner surfaces, an envelope supporting member secured'to saidplate and beingpositioned substantially parallel to and'V coextensivewith Vsaid loweredge portion, said envelope supporting member havingr aportion oiset from said plate and including a horizontal leg extendingsubstantially perpen- 50 'cutter blade.v

- d dicularly toward saidrinner surface of the lower edge portion andterminating short thereof to present an inner free edge having a portionsubstantially parallel to and spaced outwardly from said inner surfaceof the main 5 bodyy portion of said plate, and a cutterblade xed in faceto face relation to the inner face of said main body portion with aportion of-its cutting edge projecting beyond the juncture of said mainbody and said odset lower edge portions and extending Ybetv'veen saidplate and said Y,envelope supporting member and in spaced relation tothat portion of said free edgeofl said horizontal leg that is spacedfrom the inner surface ofv said lower edgefportion, the upper surface ofsaid horizontal leg being spaced a substantial distance from saidjuncture between the l5 main body and the offset lower edgeportion andby distance materially greater than the thickness of an envelope A rtobe opened and ltheregionbetween the inner surfaces Yof said cuttingvblade andthe opposed inner surface of Ysaid, lower edge portion beingfree and unobstructed V whereby-the strip slit from an envelope beingopened is o unimpeded and is free from impifngement upon or againstobstructions so as to permit the same to be'entirely free andindependent to prevent clogging of said cutting blade. 6. Avcutterblade'holder comprising a plate having a main body portion and an offsetlower edge portion dening stepped, substantially parallel innerVsurfaces, an envelope supporting member secured on said plate and beingpositioned substantially parallel to and coextensive with said loweredge portion, said envelope supporting memberrhaving a portion offsetfrom said plate and in- A cluding a Yhorizontal leg extendingsubstantially perpendicularly toward said inner surface of the loweredge Vportion and terminating short thereof to present an inner freeedge having a portion substantially parallel to and 'spacedoutwardly'from said inner surface of the main 'body portion of saidplate, and a cutter blade fixed in face to face relation to the innerface of said main body por- ',tion with a portion of its cutting edgeprojecting beyond the juncture of said main bod-y and said oifset loweredge 40 portions and extending between said plate and said envelopesupporting member and in spaced relation to that portion of said freeedge'of said horizontal leg that` is spaced from' the inner surface ofsaid lower. edge portion, lsaid, supporting member being pivotallymounted at one end thereof to said inner surface of thelower edgeportion of the plate. Y

7. The cutter blade holderV as denedin and by claim 6 including meansfor holding said supporting member in adjusted position relative to thecutting edge of said j 8. `The cutter blade'holder as dened in and byVclaim v7 wherein the last mentionedmeans includes a clamping screwoperating Vthrough a slot in said lower edge porf tion of the plate andclampingly engaging saidenvelope supporting member upon said innersurface of the lower redge portion of the plate.V Y

. 9. A cutter fblade holder comprising a plate having a main bodyportion and an oiset lower edge portion deiining stepped,substantiallyrparallel inner surfaces, an

envelope supporting member secured on said plate and being positionedsubstantially parallel to andV coextensive with said lower edge portion,said envelope supporting member having a portion offset from said plateandincluding a horizontal leg extending substantially perpendicularlytoward -said inner surface of the `lower 4edge portion and terminatingshort thereof to present an inner free edge having a portionsubstantially parallel to and spaced outwardly from said innerV surfaceof themain body portion of said plate, Yand a cutter blade ixed in facetoface relation to the inner face of saidrrnainv body portion with aportion of its. cutting edge projecting beyond the juncture of'said mainbody and said offset lower edge portions and extending between saidplate and said envelope supporting member and `in' spaced relation torthat portion of said free edge of said horizontal leg that is spacedfrom the inner surface of said lower edge portion, said horizontal legof the envelope supporting member being provided with a leg dependingfrom the outer edge of said horizontal leg, the depending leg beingparallel to but spaced from said inner lsurface of the lower edgeportion.

l0. A cutter blade holder comprising a plate having a main body portionand an oiset lower edge portion dening stepped, substantially parallelinner surfaces, a cutter blade iixed to the inner surface of said mainbody portion and having a portion of its cutting edge extending beyondthe juncture between said main body portion and said offset lower edgeportion, and a support element fixed to said holder having a faceextending substantially at right angles to said cutter blade andpositioned on the side thereof opposite said oiset lower edge portion toReferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,187,634 Soderlind Jan. 16, 1940 2,204,763 Maximilian June 18, 19402,233,497 Teigen Mar. 4, 1941 2,291,294 Holste Iuly 28, 1942 2,518,991Kolodnicki Aug. 15, 1950 2,624,936 Jensen Ian. 13, 1953

